Proverbs 12:25-26  

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. ²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Don’t Argue With Donkeys

Someone told a parable about a tiger and a donkey arguing about grass.

The donkey said: “The grass is blue.” The tiger replied: “No, the grass is green.” The tiger and the donkey cannot agree. So, they went to the Lion, the King of the Jungle. The donkey shouted: “Your Highness! Isn’t it true that the grass is blue?” King Lion replied: “That’s true! The grass is blue.” The donkey continued: “The tiger disagrees with me! He says, ‘The grass is green.’ Please punish him.”

King Lion declared: “The tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence.”

The donkey jumped cheerfully and went out shouting and repeating: “The Grass Is Blue.” The tiger asked King Lion: “Your Majesty, why do you punish me? After all, the grass is green.” King Lion replied: “In fact, the grass is green.” The tiger asked: “So why are you punishing me, then?” King Lion replied: “That has nothing to do whether the grass is blue or green. You are punished because a brave and intelligent creature like you wasted time arguing with a foolish donkey, and on top of that, you bother me with a silly question.”

Truly, the worst waste of time is arguing with the fool fanatic who does not care about truth or reality, but only cares about victory in his illusions and beliefs. Never waste time on argument that won’t make sense. When ignorance screams, intelligence is silent. Your peaceful tranquility is more valuable than arguments.

Likewise, we don’t argue with anyone who is not regenerated by the Lord. When they’re obscured by hatred and resentment, they are confused by pride; all they want is to be right. So, no matter how much evidence presented to them, they are not prepared to understand and internalize the gospel of Christ.

Let’s reflect on Mark 14:60-61, ⁶⁰The high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶¹But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Christ exemplified; he remained silent before angry adversaries. Pray for discernment to know when to remain silent and when to communicate the gospel of Christ. Most often, we are misinterpreted when all we want is to help others receive eternal life. As Christians, our behavior is most often scrutinized and misunderstood. Keep that in mind. Rather than arguing on what’s right or wrong, it is more favorable to practice choosing your words that may cheer others up.

1.  Cheer

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

When anxious about possible disaster, is it difficult to cheer up? When we are anxious about what others may say, we cannot anticipate their compassion. What is it that weighs down your heart to be depressed? Pleasing people who do not care about us may cause anxiousness. What does the Scripture say about pleasing people? Apostle Paul rhetorically asked in Galatians 1:10, ¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

When we’re anxious of pleasing others, we become servants of sin. But if we choose to please God, we are servants of Christ. Do you think anxiety is sin? Anyone has tendency to be distressed or anxious. Does God cause anxiety?

Sometimes, God allows us to be anxious so that we may understand, minister and cheer up victims of anxiety or depression. Can you accept that? Painful experiences are practical illustrations for spiritual advisories.

Dentist

Some older people have dentures, artificial teeth or false teeth. The dentist advised her patient, “Before you go to bed, remove your new dentures and place them in a glass of water.” A month later, the patient complained of painful gums. The dentist adjusted his dentures. Few months later, his gums were still painful.

So, the patient decided to wear his denture even in bed. Slowly, gum pains disappeared. His gums adjusted with his dentures. What’s wrong with advice of the dentist to remove dentures at night when you sleep? Timing! Don’t remove dentures at night when they are still adjusting to the gums. Remove dentures only after they have fully adjusted to the gums. Dentists may not realize such experiential knowledge, if they have perfect teeth and don’t wear dentures.

Likewise, without painful experiences as practical proof, how can we learn much that God cares for us? Let’s reflect on what it declares in Hebrews 5:8.   ⁸Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

Did Christ know that he will suffer a painful crucifixion before he born as human? Yes! Did he know that obedience to God causes him so much pain before he was crucified? Yes! But experientially wise, Jesus learned obedience when he obeyed God the Father, even unto his death on the cross.

God does not force anyone to obey him. We choose to obey God even in painful experiences and share in the glory of Christ. Anxiety may still bother us, but we pray to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and choose to have joyful peace.

2.  Choose

²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

It’s very tempting to accommodate everyone, but we don’t have to befriend everyone. Christ has twelve Apostles, but he had three inner circles of friends.

We are also advised to choose friends carefully. How should we choose friends? Good friends sacrifice for their friends. Together, let’s reflect on what Christ declares in John 15:13-14. ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command.

Christ sacrificed for us. He had endured torture unto his death just for us to have eternal life. It proves he really cares for our practical needs. Actually, the Lord has already delivered everything we need for godly life. In response, we want also to be great friends of Christ. We must choose to sacrificially follow him.

As friends of Christ, he is also concerned about who should be our friends. Therefore, we must pray and ask the Lord to give us discernment on how we may choose our friends. We want friends who gladly listen to our story. We want friends we can trust; friends who are available when we need companionship.

Jonathan and David

Jonathan and David were best friends. King Saul planned to kill David. But his son Jonathan warned his best friend David about the evil plan of King Saul. Let’s reflect on what it says in 1 Samuel 19:2-5, ²“My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. ³I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” ⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ⁵He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

What does “Blood is thicker than water” mean? It means that relationships and loyalties within a family are the strongest and most important ones. This quotation can be true to some people, but since it’s not biblical, it’s not absolutely true to everyone. Jonathan could have sided with his father Saul. But Jonathan warned his best friend David against the evil plans of his father King Saul.

Jonathan did not hesitate before his father King Saul; he praised his friend David (his accomplishments, how God won victory for Israel through his friend David.) When you are not around, good friends praise you behind your back. Friends do not hesitate to warn your mistakes. They want you to do what is right.

Words can be flattering but action reveals realities. People may easily say, “I love you!” but may not readily correct you, may have little care but still need to progress and mature as compared to great friendship of Jonathan and David.

Does God want us to have good friends? Yes! And it is best to become great friends of Jesus and follow him, and he will help us choose our friends. The Lord can empower us also to choose right words to cheer up others. All we need to do is come to Christ is prayer. Prayer helps progress our friendship with Jesus.

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